diff --git a/config/alfresco/form-services-context.xml b/config/alfresco/form-services-context.xml
index c441008672..73ebbdfb6c 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/form-services-context.xml
+++ b/config/alfresco/form-services-context.xml
@@ -186,5 +186,9 @@
     <bean id="transitionsFieldProcessor"
         class="org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.workflow.TransitionFieldProcessor"
         parent="baseFieldProcessor" />
+        
+   <bean id="messageFieldProcessor"
+        class="org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.workflow.MessageFieldProcessor"
+        parent="baseFieldProcessor" />
 
 </beans>
diff --git a/config/alfresco/messages/form-service.properties b/config/alfresco/messages/form-service.properties
index a28d1eca0c..3e5fac96ae 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/messages/form-service.properties
+++ b/config/alfresco/messages/form-service.properties
@@ -7,5 +7,13 @@ form_service.encoding.description=Encoding of the content
 form_service.size.label=Size
 form_service.size.description=Size of the content in bytes
 
+form_service.message.label=Message
+form_service.message.description=Message the user entered when starting the workflow
+form_service.message.value.none=(No Message)
+
+form_service.transitions.label=Transitions
+form_service.transitions.description=The transitions available for the task
+
 form_service.package.items.label=Items
-form_service.package.items.description=Items that are part of the workflow
\ No newline at end of file
+form_service.package.items.description=Items that are part of the workflow
+
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/AbstractFieldProcessor.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/AbstractFieldProcessor.java
index df74fa8181..d823f8dadf 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/AbstractFieldProcessor.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/AbstractFieldProcessor.java
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ import org.alfresco.repo.forms.Field;
 import org.alfresco.repo.forms.FormException;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 
-import com.sun.star.lang.IllegalArgumentException;
-
 /**
  * 
  * @since 3.4
@@ -53,7 +51,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractFieldProcessor<Data> implements FieldProcessor
         }
         else
         {
-            String msg = "Data object: "+itemData+" is not of expected type: "+expectedType;
+            String msg = "Data object: " + itemData + " is not of expected type: " + expectedType;
             throw new FormException(msg, new IllegalArgumentException());
         }
     }
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/node/MockFieldProcessorRegistry.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/node/MockFieldProcessorRegistry.java
index 05de747e8f..31c138e747 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/node/MockFieldProcessorRegistry.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/node/MockFieldProcessorRegistry.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import static org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.node.FormFieldConstants.ASSOC;
 import static org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.node.FormFieldConstants.PROP;
 
 import org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.FieldProcessor;
+import org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.workflow.MessageFieldProcessor;
 import org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.workflow.PackageItemsFieldProcessor;
 import org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.workflow.TransitionFieldProcessor;
 import org.alfresco.service.cmr.dictionary.DictionaryService;
@@ -51,25 +52,24 @@ public class MockFieldProcessorRegistry extends ContentModelFieldProcessorRegist
         register(SizeFieldProcessor.KEY, makeSizeFieldProcessor());
         register(TransitionFieldProcessor.KEY, makeTransitionFieldProcessor());
         register(PackageItemsFieldProcessor.KEY, makePackageItemFieldProcessor());
+        register(MessageFieldProcessor.KEY, makeMessageFieldProcessor());
         setDefaultProcessor(makeDefaultFieldProcessor(namespaceService, dictionaryService));
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @return
-     */
     private FieldProcessor makePackageItemFieldProcessor()
     {
-        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
         return new PackageItemsFieldProcessor();
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @return
-     */
     private FieldProcessor makeTransitionFieldProcessor()
     {
         return new TransitionFieldProcessor();
     }
+    
+    private FieldProcessor makeMessageFieldProcessor()
+    {
+        return new MessageFieldProcessor();
+    }
 
     private FieldProcessor makeDefaultFieldProcessor(NamespaceService namespaceService,
             DictionaryService dictionaryService)
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/MessageFieldProcessor.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/MessageFieldProcessor.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..39321d2fdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/MessageFieldProcessor.java
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2005-2010 Alfresco Software Limited.
+ *
+ * This file is part of Alfresco
+ *
+ * Alfresco is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * Alfresco is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ * along with Alfresco. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.workflow;
+
+import static org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.node.FormFieldConstants.PROP_DATA_PREFIX;
+
+import org.alfresco.repo.forms.FieldDefinition;
+import org.alfresco.repo.forms.PropertyFieldDefinition;
+import org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.node.TransientFieldProcessor;
+import org.alfresco.service.cmr.dictionary.DataTypeDefinition;
+import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
+import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
+import org.springframework.extensions.surf.util.I18NUtil;
+
+/**
+ * Transient field processor for the "message" property.
+ * 
+ * @since 3.4
+ * @author Gavin Cornwell
+ */
+public class MessageFieldProcessor extends TransientFieldProcessor
+{
+    public static final String KEY = "message";
+    public static final String DATA_TYPE = DataTypeDefinition.TEXT.getLocalName();
+    public static final String MSG_VALUE_NONE = "form_service.message.value.none";
+
+    private static final String MSG_LABEL = "form_service.message.label";
+    private static final String MSG_DESCRIPTION = "form_service.message.description";
+
+    private static final Log LOGGER = LogFactory.getLog(MessageFieldProcessor.class);
+    
+    /* (non-Javadoc)
+     * @see org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.node.TransientFieldProcessor#makeTransientPropertyDefinition()
+     */
+    @Override
+    protected FieldDefinition makeTransientFieldDefinition()
+    {
+        PropertyFieldDefinition fieldDef = new PropertyFieldDefinition(KEY, DATA_TYPE);
+        fieldDef.setRepeating(false);
+        fieldDef.setProtectedField(true);
+        
+        fieldDef.setLabel(I18NUtil.getMessage(MSG_LABEL));
+        fieldDef.setDescription(I18NUtil.getMessage(MSG_DESCRIPTION));
+        fieldDef.setDataKeyName(PROP_DATA_PREFIX + KEY);
+        return fieldDef;
+    }
+
+    /* (non-Javadoc)
+     * @see org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.AbstractFieldProcessor#getLogger()
+     */
+    @Override
+    protected Log getLogger()
+    {
+        return LOGGER;
+    }
+
+    /* (non-Javadoc)
+     * @see org.alfresco.repo.forms.processor.AbstractFieldProcessor#getRegistryKey()
+     */
+    @Override
+    protected String getRegistryKey()
+    {
+        return KEY;
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/TaskFormProcessor.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/TaskFormProcessor.java
index 7e473f777f..15a7adf147 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/TaskFormProcessor.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/TaskFormProcessor.java
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import org.alfresco.service.namespace.NamespaceService;
 import org.alfresco.service.namespace.QName;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
+import org.springframework.extensions.surf.util.I18NUtil;
 
 /**
  * FormProcessor implementation for workflow tasks.
@@ -154,6 +155,7 @@ public class TaskFormProcessor extends AbstractWorkflowFormProcessor<WorkflowTas
         Map<String, Object> values = new HashMap<String, Object>(2);
         values.put(TransitionFieldProcessor.KEY, getTransitionValues(item));
         values.put(PackageItemsFieldProcessor.KEY, getPackageItemValues(item));
+        values.put(MessageFieldProcessor.KEY, getMessageValues(item));
         return values;
     }
 
@@ -183,6 +185,23 @@ public class TaskFormProcessor extends AbstractWorkflowFormProcessor<WorkflowTas
         
         return buildTransitionString(item, transitions);
     }
+    
+    private String getMessageValues(WorkflowTask task)
+    {
+        String message = I18NUtil.getMessage(MessageFieldProcessor.MSG_VALUE_NONE);
+        
+        String description = (String)task.getProperties().get(WorkflowModel.PROP_DESCRIPTION);
+        if (description != null)
+        {
+            String taskTitle = task.getTitle();
+            if (taskTitle == null || !taskTitle.equals(description))
+            {
+                message = description;
+            }
+        }
+        
+        return message;
+    }
 
     private String buildTransitionString(WorkflowTask item, WorkflowTransition[] transitions)
     {
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/TaskFormProcessorTest.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/TaskFormProcessorTest.java
index 008a6b151a..b38788580c 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/TaskFormProcessorTest.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/forms/processor/workflow/TaskFormProcessorTest.java
@@ -266,6 +266,26 @@ public class TaskFormProcessorTest extends TestCase
         checkSingleProperty(form, fieldName, transitionValues);
     }
 
+    public void testGenerateMessage() throws Exception
+    {
+        String message = null;
+        String fieldName = MessageFieldProcessor.KEY;
+        Form form = processForm(fieldName);
+        checkSingleProperty(form, fieldName, message);
+
+        // add a description to the task and check it comes back
+        message = "This is some text the user may have entered";
+        this.task.properties.put(PROP_DESCRIPTION, message);
+        
+        form = processForm(fieldName);
+        checkSingleProperty(form, fieldName, message);
+        
+        // set the description to the same as the task title
+        // and make sure the message comes back as null
+        this.task.properties.put(PROP_DESCRIPTION, this.task.title);
+        form = processForm(fieldName);
+        checkSingleProperty(form, fieldName, null);
+    }
 
     public void testGeneratePackageItems() throws Exception
     {
@@ -490,14 +510,12 @@ public class TaskFormProcessorTest extends TestCase
     {
         String expDataKey = makeDataKeyName(fieldName);
         checkSingleField(form, fieldName, fieldData, expDataKey);
-
     }
 
     private void checkSingleAssociation(Form form, String fieldName, Serializable fieldData)
     {
         String expDataKey = makeAssociationDataKey(fieldName);
         checkSingleField(form, fieldName, fieldData, expDataKey);
-
     }
 
     private void checkSingleField(Form form, String fieldName, Serializable fieldData, String expDataKey)
@@ -509,7 +527,14 @@ public class TaskFormProcessorTest extends TestCase
         String dataKey = fieldDef.getDataKeyName();
         assertEquals(expDataKey, dataKey);
         FieldData data = form.getFormData().getFieldData(dataKey);
-        assertEquals(fieldData, data.getValue());
+        if (fieldData != null)
+        {
+            assertEquals(fieldData, data.getValue());
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            assertNull(data);
+        }
     }
 
     private String makeDataKeyName(String fieldName)
@@ -575,6 +600,7 @@ public class TaskFormProcessorTest extends TestCase
         WorkflowTask result = new WorkflowTask();
         result.id = TASK_ID;
         result.state = WorkflowTaskState.IN_PROGRESS;
+        result.title = "Test";
         result.definition = makeTaskDefinition();
         result.properties = makeTaskProperties();